Bedford Planners Okay Whitman Property Rezoning

The Bedford Township Planning Commission is giving the nod to rezone a 17.262-acre section of land in Temperance to make way for a 118-unit apartment complex.

During a public hearing Wednesday night, the commission approved a recommendation to rezone the parcel at Sterns Rd. and Lewis Ave. owned by Jon Whitman to RM-2, or multiple family residential. Currently, the portion of land in question is under several zoning classifications.

Richard Batt of Redwood Acquisitions, potential buyers for the property, spoke on behalf of Mr. Whitman during the hearing.

Redwood owns many living communities in the Toledo area, Mr. Batt said, and its business stretches as far west as Indianapolis and as far north as Detroit. The company has been looking to move into Bedford Township for several years.

“We’re committed to this area. We don’t just come in, build our properties and then leave,” Mr. Batt said. “We stay in the community.”

In his presentation to the commission, Mr. Batt explained that the units his company would like to build would be single-story, ranch-style homes, rather than multi-level buildings. The homes have two bedrooms, two bathrooms and usually target “empty nesters,” with the average age of residents being 58.

“Our residents are looking for a quiet and peaceful place to live,” he said. “Usually these homes provide a financial alternative or a gap between a house and assisted living.”

Planning commission recording secretary Karen Kincaid reminded the commission prior to its vote that rezoning the area RM-2 met the guidelines of the township’s master plan.

“I live near this area, and I have to say I am excited to see this change,” township board representative Paul Pirrone said. “I think this will be great for the community.”

“I think the important thing about projects of this nature is that we don’t just build a complex, we build a neighborhood,” George Oravecz, an engineer for Redwood, said to the planning commission.

Redwood held a meeting June 18 for residents of Indian Ridge, a nearby subdivision, to learn about the project. The meeting was attended by about 20 people whose homes would back up to the apartment property.

Judy Golliher attended that meeting and told the planning commission Wednesday that she supports constructing the new complex.

“I think this will be a great asset to our neighborhood and Temperance in general,” she said.

Jane Erdmann attended that session as well, but she said she still needed more convincing.

“I really would rather it stay an empty field,” Ms. Erdmann said. “We see so much nature out there — so many deer and other animals. They told us they were proposing a pond (within the complex), and I’m worried there will be safety issues with that, too.”

“This land bumps right up to our property,” she added. “This is going to affect us.”

Mr. Batt told the commission his company was willing to work with the neighbors of the property as it moves through the approval process. The site plan would include landscaping that would serve as a buffer to the subdivision.

The planning commission’s recommendation for rezoning will be brought before the Monroe County Planning Commission and the Bedford Township Board before a final decision is made.